Chair caning artisan comes to The Little Traveler in Geneva on July 8 for furniture repair estimates & transport

Posted by Carol Smith, Community Contributor

Julie Rust measures a chair brought in by a Little Traveler customer, to be repaired at her own shop in Indiana.

Julie Rust measures a chair brought in by a Little Traveler customer, to be repaired at her own shop in Indiana. (Posted by Carol Smith, Community Contributor)

Community Contributor Carol Smith

Baby steps and a high chair were the building blocks of this repair expert's hand caning furniture serviceGeneva, IL - June 29, 2017: Julie Rust of Westville, IN, will be at The Little Traveler in Geneva on July 8 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. to make estimates and answer questions about chair caning and seat weaving repairs. Broken caned chairs and other furniture pieces can be made functional again by Rust, who runs Jules Caning Shop in Westville.All furniture will be picked up on July 8 and loaded into Rust's trailer for transport to the Westville shop for reweaving. The restored furniture will then be returned to The Little Traveler for pickup. The wait time averages approximately two months to complete the repair and delivery cycle. Rust, who has been hand caning for approximately eight years, was a full-time nurse up until two years ago, when she was doing all her hand caning repairs on the side. She credits The Little Traveler and its customers for growing her business to full-time status.Services involve pre-woven cane, split weave, rush, and leather seat inserts; as well as light upholstery and wicker repair. As long as the frame is intact, says Rust, she can fix almost anything. Arts and crafts like macramé, hook rugs and crocheting were her only background when Rust began hand caning. She had inherited her grandpa's high chair but could not find anyone to fix it. According to Rust, she found a book about caning and learned all about her natural talent just by reading and trying it for herself. That was 12 years ago. Her practice was made perfect by going to antique shows and advertising her services there to gain more experience repairing different pieces. It was during that time that she met Mary Lou Gates, an Indiana-based provider of crystal repair who regularly brings her services to The Little Traveler several times a year. Gates recommended that Rust take her place among the many repair experts hosted by The Little Traveler each year. According to Rust, most people just don't know what to do with broken furniture, thinking that a repair service like this is a lost art. But Rust says the repair cost range is surprisingly affordable-ranging from $40 to $500 for the most complicated piece she has ever attempted. Hand cane actually is the most complicated. In fact, Rust's most challenging repair came from The Little Traveler. That particular chair was brought from Germany via Berlin air lift. It had a medallion in the back that she describes as a wooden oval that is very rarely seen. The Seat Weavers Guild, of which she is a member, did not recollect such a piece. Using toothpicks to hold the cane in place, it to her over 100 hours to complete the project. Rust wants to remind Fox Valley residents that anything with a cane or a wicker base can be fixed-even a canoe seat, she says. Little Traveler customers can bring in a full set of chairs or furniture, or one chair at a time if that's more affordable. After all, flexibility is a prime attribute of her business."We love being a community resource for people who want to get things with sentimental value renewed," says Pat Bokina, gift buyer at The Little Traveler. "Since we host experts in crystal repair, lamp repair, and silver repair, Julie Rust's unique talents have been a valuable addition to our mix."A list of repair experts with visit dates is always available for review at littletraveler.com.

About The Little Traveler: Today, downtown Geneva, Ill., is known as one of the most unique shopping districts in the Midwest, maintaining a tradition of hospitality, charm, and character. The Little Traveler, at 404 South Third Street, has remained the cornerstone of this tradition. The shop has grown from the original Italianate Victorian residence (which now serves as the center section of the shop) to 36 rooms of treasures. For more information, call (630) 232-4200.

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